Pop In Pet Play

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Pop In Pet Play

Pop In Pet Play is run by Lisa Keys, TCSD Scent Detection Handler, Instructor and Ambassador
(8)

10/08/2024

A must watch for anyone who has a dog 👌

31/07/2024

Well done The Well Heeled Hound ♥️

29/07/2024

If you are looking for a lovely, secure field close to Ipswich I would highly recommend The Suffolk Meadow near Capel St Mary.

I took 3 Dots and a Dash there before heading off to Latitude yesterday and as you can see they had the best time. 🥰

24/07/2024

There really is no place for the prong collar in modern day dog training and walking.

I always advise a good fitting harness for clients.

You never know if you are going to suddenly have to pull a dog away from a dangerous situation in an emergency so imagine the impact a prong collar would have.

To give an example…. when I first started walking a lively German Shepherd, her lovely guardians brought her a perfect fit harness and thank goodness they did as one day I was walking her on a narrow path alongside a river. She decided to relieve herself and as I bent down to pick it up she jumped into the river!!! She was on a normal length lead and I wasn’t expecting this so I’m surprised I didn’t go in with her!!! Anyway, she started to turn and swim away from me so I was able to easily pull her back to the bank, it was very steep, and pull her up using the lead as obviously attached to the harness!!! Now imagine if she had been wearing a prong collar or noose 🤔 (although I wouldn’t walk any dog wearing these) I would have had two choices 1. to pull and the collar/noose, which would have tightened around her neck and possibly she would have panicked at the discomfort and struggled to breath, then pull her heavy body up, which could have literally choked her…. or 2. let go so not to harm her and hope she eventually swam to a point she could get up the bank by herself!!! Her recall was not good at this point so either situation would not have been good.

Wearing a harness enabled me to pull her out safely with no harm done, she had a big shake off and we carried on. I did of course inform her guardians who found the funny side in it. 😊

** oh and of course risk assessment was updated 👍 **

Do you and your dog walk together on a lovely loose lead, gently strolling alongside each other, your dog casually sniffing their environment and you taking in the scenery? Do you lovingly gaze at each other in that ‘we make a great team’ way? Or does it feel like you’re on opposing teams?
Does you dog walk with you because you have taken the time to understand them and their emotions and show them there is a value in being there? Or have you resorted to one of the many quick fix pieces of equipment to instantly stop pulling and your dog walks tentatively with you to avoid the pain the equipment inflicts should they ‘step out of line’. The looks aren’t loving gazes but one of quick glances and appeasement lip licks and still on opposing teams!
Loose lead walking is team work, it’s about learning to walk together. It’s a skill both ends of the lead need to learn - ask my students!
Have you ever asked yourself ‘why does my dog pull?’ There can be many reasons from how they feel emotionally to pain like hip dysplasia!
I can assure you if anything on the market or your dog trainer or walker says it stops your dog pulling just by putting it on them - there will be pain and discomfort involved it’s how they work. It can range from prong collars, to garot style slip leads to harnesses designed to tighten.
As a dog trainer I am aware that occasionally circumstances can be difficult, having a dog pulling you can be painful or even dangerous and having to use this type of equipment helps you manage your dog.
I have resorted to (dogmatic) head collars in the past and will still occasionally look at it as an option with my clients if I felt there was a safety issue, but it’s always with the view it is a short term use and generally people haven’t used it because they didn’t need to and because the dog hated it!
If you would like a better understanding of how you can work towards working as a team with your dog why not book a block of lessons?
Use the link below.

https://TheWellHeeledHound.as.me/

19/07/2024

18/07/2024

Boy did these lovely dogs sniff their hearts out last night on their final week of our scenario based odour detection class (they had a very important job to do for Suffolk Constabulary 😁)

A very condensed video of them doing some amazing searching….. still a long video I know but just listen to their olfactory systems working!!! Not only did they find all their hides but they searched rooms thoroughly that they had never been in before, which is great for building their confidence in a novel environment 👍

They all passed their Constable level with flying colours and their handlers did a super job supporting them. Thankyou for your hard work and commitment….. So proud of you all 👏

14/07/2024

🥰

Dog training really isn’t just about the canine end of the lead but the human end too.
I may need to build a guardians confidence, help them understand how to communicate with their dog and support both ends of the lead as they learn together.
I was so proud of my students this morning as I saw the connection develop and the handler’s confidence grow.

You don’t become a dog trainer just because you love dogs you become one because you like humans too and I really enjoyed working with the human end of the lead this morning.

I feel it’s worth noting, confidence comes from the guardian handling their own dog - I all too often see ‘social media’ trainers handling the dog and I feel this can knock the guardians confidence - it’s basically saying look what I can do with your dog and you can’t’.

13/07/2024

I was telling my trainer friends just this morning how fortunate I am to have trained with The College of Scentdogs. Their knowledge, training style and continuous support is unparalleled in my opinion. 🌎

12/07/2024

Don’t I know it!!!! Wouldn’t have her any other way though 💕

12/07/2024

My adorable pop in pets say; ‘it’s coming home’ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Check out The Big Sniff@pop in pet play’s video.

11/07/2024

What a fab job these dogs and handlers did last night on week 5 of our scent detection course. Each week the dogs have been searching different pieces of equipment so we put them all together and hid tins containing a cigarette filter with the odour of gun oil on and not only did they focus and search beautifully, indicate to their handlers when they located it but have become so much more relaxed working in a new environment around other dogs 🤗

Well done teams. You have all worked so hard, showing that practicing between sessions really pays off 👊

26/06/2024

Well said The Well Heeled Hound 👍

As ‘humans’ are we selfish to want a ‘pet’ dog?
What drives our desire to invite a dog, an animal to live with us (in our modern homes).
In the past that desire would’ve been a ‘need’ for a dog, a need for a dog to do a job and that need would have been genetically bred for and honed. A need to keep vermin down would’ve been met with a terrier!
Now it’s more about ‘I want’ a dog and that ‘want’ is usually based on an aesthetic decision, sometimes there are a few other considerations but what I have personally found is that people rarely research the breed they choose fully. This includes researching the dog’s original purpose or if it’s a cross breed, the purposes! This is when the problems arise. Those once highly desirable traits don’t fit in with our modern idea of a ‘pet’ dog living in a family home with the expectations we put on them.
As a dog trainer I see this all the time, I actually marvel at how well dogs cope and mange to live with humans as well as they do (I’m human and I struggle with it).
What saddens me more is with all the expectations when a dog doesn’t ‘behave’ as we want them to they are perceived as ‘badly behaved’ and it’s a problem to be ‘fixed’.
It may take a bit longer to do the correct research, to talk to a canine professional, to find the ethical breeder or the right rescue but taking that time could be a valuable emotional investment.

This is obviously a huge topic; from dogs being expected to live in inappropriate environments to being poorly designed with health issues.
I’ve only skimmed the subject but if I can get one message across ‘love is not all they need’ it’s much more than that and love will not meet all of a dogs need.
My thoughts on this topic have been prompted through reading Kim Brophey’s book Meet Your Dog.

26/06/2024

🆘I know this is distressing to watch so don’t if you can’t🆘

But this is a reality and must stop 🛑

We live in a country of so called animal lovers yet turn a blind eye to the thousands of puppies and other young animals taken from their mums at 6 weeks, raised in disgusting conditions, never seeing daylight until they get a short glimpse whilst crammed in crates and transferred into a van. Then they are on to their final destination of torture. 😖

There are other ways to test products, this is outdated and barbaric. 😡

Our current government has done very little for animal welfare and has failed to deliver many promises 😢

On July 4th I will be voting with my heart as there is only one party who pledges a ban…. others say they want a reduction or phase out where not absolutely necessary but for me this really isn’t good enough. 😢

25/06/2024

When it’s too hot to walk….. set up a sniff gym to wear your pooches out 👍

Check out The Big Sniff@pop in pet play’s video.

23/06/2024

Pinks keeping an eye on the neighbours 🥰

21/06/2024

If you know, you know 😂

20/06/2024

Last night was session 2 of our Scent Detection Class for beginners and what super stars they all were. 🌟

It’s hard work learning a new skill in a new environment, for the dogs and their humans, but I honestly couldn’t have felt prouder of how well they all did. Looking forward to watching them progress through the course 🥰

19/06/2024

What’s your dog’s favourite play activity?

Lara’s is rough and tumble with her bestie 🥰

17/06/2024

It’s grass seed season! A timely reminder to check your dog thoroughly after their walks; check them all over but pay attention to feet and ears especially those with fluffy, long type coats and spaniel type ears! They can even get sniffed up their noses (I know because I had this happen to Herbert).
These pesky grass seeds burrow their way under the skin and keep travelling.
The attached Blue Cross article has some great information on how to spot if your dog has an embedded grass seed and how to prevent it from happening.

https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/health-and-injuries/grass-seeds-and-dogs

17/06/2024

❤️ UPDATE - reunited ❤️

Missing from CHANTRY PARK IPSWICH IP2 0BS since 15/06/2024

Please DO NOT shout, chase, or grab. Report sightings immediately by calling 0330 124 2004.

DO NOT post sightings on here.

Remember, the owners of the missing animal read your posts. Please be kind, positive, and show empathy.

10/06/2024

Jerry says;

‘Dont throw away all your old toilet roll tubes….line them up and pop a tastey treat inside one and let your dog sniff it out’ 🤙

07/06/2024

This week we took some Dominoes pizza boxes out on the road and watched the dogs have some olfactory fun and problem solve 👍

Check out The Big Sniff@pop in pet play’s video.

03/06/2024

Encourage the insects people 🦋🐝🐞🦟🦗🐜🪰🕷️

The frightening reality of the modern world

28/05/2024

I like this guy 👍

28/05/2024

⭐️ 1 space left ⭐️

Would you like to learn the skills to become
a Scent Detection Handler and train your dog to be a Scent Detective, hunting down gun oil in the environment?🕵️‍♀️

Then why not come and learn in a fun and relaxed atmosphere?
Only 4 dogs per class
(contact me if your dog is fearful of other dogs to discuss if they could cope in a class environment and if special adjustments need to be made)

Some of the many benefits of Scentwork for dogs:

💜 Activates and fulfills their seeking system
💜 They use their nose for what it is designed for
💜 Has a calming effect (very beneficial for anxious
dogs)
💜 Confidence building
💜 Improves concentration, focus, self-control and overall
behaviour (beneficial for reactive dogs)
💜 Provides mental stimulation
💜 Gives them a job to do while working at their
own pace
💜 enables decision making
💜 Builds a stronger bond between dog and
guardian
💜 Suitable activity for all dogs
💜 Mindful activity for both dog and their guardian

Class dates:
12th, 19th 26th June
3rd, 10th,17th July

Venue: Burlington Baptist Church
London Road
Ipswich
IP1 2EZ

£120

Interested?
Message Lisa on page or call 07411443094

Address

Ipswich
IP4

Website

http://www.popinpetplay.weebly.com/

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Videos

If you are looking for a lovely, secure field close to Ipswich I would highly recommend The Suffolk Meadow near Capel St Mary. I took 3 Dots and a Dash there before heading off to Latitude yesterday and as you can see they had the best time. 🥰 #popinpetplay #thesuffolkmeadow #securefieldnearipswich #freedomfield

Boy did these lovely dogs sniff their hearts out last night on their final week of our scenario based odour detection class (they had a very important job to do for Suffolk Constabulary 😁) A very condensed video of them doing some amazing searching….. still a long video I know but just listen to their olfactory systems working!!! Not only did they find all their hides but they searched rooms thoroughly that they had never been in before, which is great for building their confidence in a novel environment 👍 They all passed their Constable level with flying colours and their handlers did a super job supporting them. Thankyou for your hard work and commitment….. So proud of you all 👏 #thecollegeofscentdogs #odourdetection #getdogssniffing

What a fab job these dogs and handlers did last night on week 5 of our scent detection course. Each week the dogs have been searching different pieces of equipment so we put them all together and hid tins containing a cigarette filter with the odour of gun oil on and not only did they focus and search beautifully, indicate to their handlers when they located it but have become so much more relaxed working in a new environment around other dogs 🤗 Well done teams. You have all worked so hard, showing that practicing between sessions really pays off 👊 #thecollegeofscentdogs #odoursearching #getdogssniffing

Big shout out to my newest top fans! 💎 Trish Smith

Jerry says; ‘Dont throw away all your old toilet roll tubes….line them up and pop a tastey treat inside one and let your dog sniff it out’ 🤙 #popinpetplay #nosework #suppersniffer #letdogssniff

Lara doing the job she was genetically bred for….. tracking down badgers and other burrowing animals. 👍 Do you know what your dog was bred for? It’s important you know so you can meet it’s needs by giving them the opportunity to practice their inbuilt behaviours.🤔 This is why scentwork is something that all pet parents should do with their dogs. Contact me if you want to find out more. 😊 Now I’m not about to let Lara flush out whatever animal lives down there…. I initially thought badger but after some research it’s more likely fox…. But after her discovery I could have produced her fury tug toy to replicate a find( but it was in my other coat). 🙄 Failing to meet the genetic needs of your dog often results in unwanted behaviour so I always follow my dogs when they pick up a scent. Pinky likes to sniff out fox poop so instead of allowing her to eat it when she finds it I produce a few tastey treats instead. 🐶

Today I had the pleasure of popping in to see these two absolute beauties and discuss the many benefits of freework with their guardians. 🥰 Freework is a great all round activity, that can be especially helpful when working on any anxious or reactive behaviour. It’s also a great calming activity to set up before guests arrive and to do before any training session. 👍 As you can see they both thoroughly enjoyed themselves. 🤗 We then introduced some shorter fun activities that will keep these girls busy without costing their guardians an arm and a leg and who are excited to start getting really creative!!! 🤩 15-20 minutes of sniffing uses up as much energy as an hours walk so great for times when you can’t get out ✅ Well done team 👍 #popinpetplay #freework #getdogssniffing #noseworkout

#scentwork #nosework #popinpetplay

Scentwork

When it’s just too cold to go out for a walk ❄️ thank heaven for scentwork 👍 If you are interested in learning the art of scentwork why not pop me a message 👍 Pinks searching for gun oil👌

Are you a considerate dog parent?🤔 I often dwell on situations I’ve misread when I’m out and about with my off lead dogs as they aren’t perfect (well one is!!) but today I was immensely proud of them all and myself 😊 I got thanked 5 times while walking around the park just for being considerate 🤗 Once by a cyclist after I called my dogs off the path with good time for the cyclist to pass 👍 Once by a jogger for calling them back so he didn’t have to run around them 👍 Once from an owner whose dog looked really anxious as my dogs were approaching 👍 And twice from guardians of on-lead dogs 👍 I also warned two people that two of my dogs may bark at theirs when entering the park on lead 👍 It really helps to have a good recall so I can bring them close by when needed….. as you can see little Lara is a work in progress and this is why she isn’t off lead yet….. but she’s getting there too (also for her safety as if she was scared by another dog I’m certain she’d take flight) 👍

Sharing a Thai sunrise with the local dog 🥰

The hi-light of the week for me has to be seeing how well this team are doing in their scentwork journey and how much they have practiced between their 1:1 sessions 👍 This lovely fella looks to his Guardian for instructions and reassurance a lot and uses his paw to communicate frustration so they have worked hard to prevent this happening during a search. Well done guys 👏 Scentwork has so many benefits for your dog and guardian….. but it is quite something as a handler to watch your dog sniff out the tiniest amount of gun oil odour on a tiny little cigarette filter inside a tiny tin, inside a pot 😳 If you are interested in learning the art of scentwork and would like a chat to discuss the many benefits please get in touch in the New Year. 😊 I am on holiday now until the 8th January so will answer any messages then. 🤗 MERRY CHRISTMAS to all my lovely clients and friends of Pop-in-Pet-Play. 🌲🎉 ***Remember to keep the chocolates away from your dogs guys and PLEASE be aware that although it’s lovely to have a home smelling of Christmas….. candles, diffusers and plug-ins have chemicals in them that are toxic for dogs and can harm their incredible olfactory system over time. Please bare in mind that a pleasant smell for us can be overwhelming to a dogs nose as it is 10,000 to 100,000 more acute than ours*** 😤

Super Sniff Monday 👊

Those that know me already know I’m crackers and now you all know!!! 😂 Why not join me in the ‘Crackers Club’ and take your dog’s favourite toy and treats out on your walk to incorporate some nosework? 🐶 Sniffing activates the very important Seeking System. This is responsible for the release of Dopamine….. which makes your dog feel relaxed and happy 😊 And we all want relaxed and happy dogs, don’t we?🤗 P.S. this video was a feature length film until a good friend suggested I trimmed it down a bit 🙄 #popinpetplay #nosework #getdogsniffing #happydogs #havefunwithyourdog

Alfie enjoyed his sniffing so much today….. even though there wasn’t much chicken hidden… since the little monkey got the tub off the side and ate most of it quicker that I could say ‘you sausage!!!’ 😁 With a bit of tug play after he was properly tired and there was no need to go out in the rain 👍 #popinpetplay #getdogssniffing #forragingfun #givingdogschoices #nosework

Never a dull moment at Pop In Pet Play 😬

How many pet professionals get to go on an actual ‘bear hunt’ with an Akita? I did today 😍

Shortcuts

About Me

Hi my name is Lisa Keys and from a very young age I have been passionate about caring for animals. I was the little girl who rescued baby birds that had been abandoned by their mother and attempted to hand rear them. My parents bought me and my sisters a gorgeous chocolate brown hamster named whiskers who, due to receiving lots of love and attention, became the most affectionate and charismatic hamster I have ever known to this day.

My next pet was a rabbit named Pipkin, who I adored as equally. Then came the guinea pigs Oscar and Amy and finally my parents caved into the constant pleas for a dog. After much research into the best breed for our family my Mother decided that a Dalmatian was the dog for us and we welcomed a spotty bundle of mischievousness into our home. That day changed my life forever, for I learned about the unique bond that is formed between human and dog and how special the unconditional love shared between them could be.

At the ripe old age of nearly fifty and many years of owning dogs, cats and other animals, too many to name, I have learned so much about our furry friends along the way. I have used different training methods over the years, following some good advice but sometimes some poor. I have completed courses in Positive Reinforcement Training methods, Pet First Aid, become a Canine body language instructor with The Dog Training college and a Bronze level UK sniffer dog instructor.

I was determined that my children should all love and respect animals too so together we have shared some amazing times with a house full of animals. Our biggest accomplishment to date is finding the most wonderful female Dalmatian named Anya and helping her to rear five very healthy, well grounded puppies. This was an experience that resulted in me gaining so much love for Anya but it also taught me so much more about Canine behaviour. This has led me to wanting to work with dogs and help owners wherever I can to nurture a special bond that is based on love and respect.